World's Best

Travel + Leisure Readers' 10 Favorite Hotels in Chicago of 2023

In the Windy City, readers celebrated Art Deco architecture and unbeatable locations in our annual "World’s Best Awards" survey for 2023.

By

Peter Terzian

Published on July 11, 2023

When you’re looking for a place to stay in Chicago, you’re likely to come across a lengthy list of skyscrapers clustered in and around the Loop and the Magnificent Mile. The Windy City is, after all, a thicket of mighty high-rises. But dig a little deeper, as Travel + Leisure readers always do, and it becomes clear that the best hotels in Chicago all have distinctive qualities that appeal to different type of travelers.

How Voting Works

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:

Rooms/facilities
Location
Service
Food
Value

For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.

Bedroom in suite at The Langham, Chicago — Courtesy of The Langham, Chicago

What Readers Loved

Want to be within easy walking distance of great works by American masters Edward Hopper and Alma Thomas at the Art Institute? Try the Arlo Chicago (formerly the Hotel Julian), which readers voted into the No. 2 spot, or the No. 3 hotel, Le Méridien Essex Chicago. Or do you need to be steps away from high-end shopping? Look into the No. 5 Park Hyatt Chicago or the No. 4 Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. (According to one reader, the latter is also a must-visit spot for grabbing a drink: “The speakeasy on the top floor is amazing.”) Enticed by the idea of staying in an Art Deco landmark? Book the Pendry Chicago (No. 8), which is housed in the elegant 1929 Carbon and Carbide building. One voter, who had visited on a work trip, resolved to return with their family in tow.

Regardless of your style preference or reason for visiting Chicago, there’s a worthy home base among this year’s honorees.

The Winner

The Peninsula Chicago

Our readers found a lot to praise when it came to this 22-year-old veteran of the Magnificent Mile. But it was the hotel’s service that specifically won the most plaudits. “The attentive staff help create memorable experiences,” wrote one reviewer. “The staff and service are superior to any other hotel that I’ve stayed at,” said another. However, our readers didn’t overlook the tangible pleasures either. As one wrote, “A dirty martini next to the fireplace in the bar is a must!”